Item number: A1323

Year: AD 1871

Material: Gold

Size: 13.8 x 13.8 x 0.5 mm

Weight: 1.7 g

Manufactured by: Japan Mint, Osaka

Provenance: Stack’s Bowers 2024

This is a 1-yen gold coin issued in the 4th year of the Meiji era (AD 1871). A hole has been punched at the bottom of the coin, suggesting it may have been repurposed as a decorative item.

The obverse features a bead circle enclosing the denomination, written in Japanese kanji as “1 Yen.” Surrounding this central design is a circular inscription that reads “Great Japan, Meiji Year 4,” highlighting the coin’s minting year and origin.

On the reverse, the central design showcases the Yata no Kagami (Sacred Mirror) adorned with a rising sun motif, flanked by two military flags. At the top is the chrysanthemum crest of the Japanese imperial family, while the inner ring and lower section are decorated with paulownia branches and leaves.

Emperor Meiji was a key figure in the Meiji Restoration movement. Following the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance’s victory over the Edo shogunate forces in the Boshin War, a government centred around the emperor was established, an event historically known as the “Taisei Hokan” (Return of Political Power).

In AD 1871, Emperor Meiji initiated nationwide administrative reforms, abolishing the feudal domains (han) and replacing them with prefectures, thereby strengthening central authority. At the same time, the capital was relocated from Kyoto to Tokyo.

In the early Meiji period, currency design was still influenced by the East Asian style of “dragon dollars,” with dragons frequently featured on the obverse of coins. Under the newly established currency regulations, the units and metal content were standardised. Unlike European currencies, which often depicted monarchs, the emperor’s portrait rarely appeared on Japanese coins or banknotes.

物件編號: A1323

年代: 公元 1871 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 13.8 x 13.8 x 0.5 mm

重量: 1.7 g

製造地: 大阪造幣局

來源: SBP錢幣拍賣 2024

這是一枚明治四年(公元1871年)發行的1圓金幣。正下方有一個打洞，代表這枚錢幣可能曾用作裝飾。錢幣正面有一道珠圈，中央是日本漢字標示的面額「一圓」，外圈為環形銘文「大日本明治四年」。

背面中央是帶有旭日紋章的八咫鏡，外圈則是兩面軍旗，上方為日本皇室的菊花紋章，內圈及下方則以泡桐枝葉作為裝飾。

明治天皇是維新運動的重要人物，薩長同盟在戊辰戰爭中擊敗江戶幕府勢力後，以天皇為中心組建政府，史稱「大政奉還」。明治天皇於公元1871年，對於全國行政改革為廢除舊有地方各藩的封建主，而設置府縣強化中央集權。同時，也將首都從京都遷往東京。

維新早期的錢幣，仍受東亞龍銀風格的引響，正面多有飛龍做裝飾。同時在新貨幣法規的制定下，將單位及金屬含量做出統一。而與歐洲所發行的其他錢幣不同，天皇頭像甚少出現在錢幣或鈔票上。